Hand-adapted trombone brace



Nov. 25, 1930. E. wlliLlAMs HAND ADAPTED TROMBONE BRACE Filed Jan. 4, 1928 ExHWHrams www@ A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNTB STTS EARL WILLIAMS, F LOS ANGELES, CALFORN Hann-Ansmann Tnoivieoiin eenen Appiication inea. tammy Li, ieee.

Although my present invention is referred to as a trombone brace, it should be under? stood not only that this invention may conceivably be applied to wind instruments other than trombones, but also that said invention nay be regarded as including, iii addition tothe mentioned brace, the associated parts between which said brace is interposed; and an improved timing adjustment is also claimed herein.

it being usual to interpose between the horn or trumpet-like elementot a trombone and a U-shaped slider, the latter being manually manipulable to vary tlie tone ot the instrument, an intermediate sect-ion to which the mentioned parts and also la suitable mouthpiece are connected, it is a primary objectof my invention to employ, in the mentioned intermediate section, a transverse connectino' element which is curved suitably tor convenient engagement by one hand (as, the left hand) ot a riser during manipulation ot the so-,ca'lledl slide by his other hand.

t having heretofore been usual to employ straight braces in the connection of parallel guide elements for the support ot trombone sliders, it is an object of my intention not only to provide a brace, o'f the general cli-aracter referred to, whichie adapted to be comtortably and conveniently enga @ed by the last l Other objects ot my invention, includingV the use of a cylindrical reinforcement upon a straight portionV .of the mentioned brace, and the interposition of a curved elliptical plate between ,tlie forwardly linclined or ijved end vot said brace and an expanded cylinlllrical portion ot a lower thimble, may l be best appreciated irom the following description ot an illustrativo embodiment or my invention, taken in connection with the appended claiiim and the accompanying drawings, in which I Fig. l may be referred to as a side elevational view ot a trombone in which an embodiment of my invention is included.

Fig. 2 is'an en C d view, corresponding 6o to the central po tion ot 1,-this view showing how a cui ed brace to which my invention relates may contorni to the last three fingers of one hand ot the user.

3 is a vie v comparable with Fig. 2, 65

vbnt centrally sectioned in a vertical p ne.

Reterring lirst to usual trombone parts, l show at 1l a horn comprising a rebent tube 12,-said tube being presumably connected with the bell ot tlie horn by a transverse brace 13; and at lil, l show a so-calied slide.

krElie latter may comprise an outer section,

lei-shaped in general `form, includine parallel limbs l5, l5', united thru return eend l5, and also an inner section including rather short parallel limbs l6,l6,-the limbs 15,15 eing provided vwith brace l?, thru which may extend an adirsting screw 8 t Afor use in tuning) and the limbs lo, i6", being' sin'iilarly interconnected by a verse ciciiient 19, adapted to serve not "5 as a brace but also as a handle to be gr `sped by the right hand lide.

ot the user, to manipulate the entir s The horn il and the slide M- a"e as held together by en ermediate sect o 20, rfliis section, cai ying a mouth-piece 2l, is shown as including not only a truetoconical horn-attacl t pr jection a pair oit parailel i y adapted to support the slide it; and my invention relates particularly to bracing means srvn the manual support o i during actualV playing` ot trie By way oinA comparison, it may f p be noted that the brace 19 extend' 1'i1 ctly` between l said bra ce the-parallel short tubes G,

ends

being` merely reinforced at i l ternaltubes 24, 24;, but, inste l 100 ing therebetween a special brace B, which".

Y includes not only a straight section 27 (shown as provided with an external reinforcement 28) but also a curved section Q9. The latter` section having a somewhat elliptical or ovoidal edge 30, as a practical eXpedientfor forming an especially rigid joint, I am now interposing'between the curved en'd of the described brace and the thimble with which it joins at acuteangle, a transversely curved reinforcing attachment plate 31, also somewhat elliptical or ovoidal in outline; and, as a'm'atter ofV fact, whether or not the last-mentioned plate is formed of German silver or substantially the same material as the remainingdescribed parts, I prefer to secure said plate to saidbrace (preferably by hardl solder) in advance of a soldering of said plate to the thimble 25,-said plate having such an enlarged circumference and 1 areav of contact as ada-pts it to be easily and permanently securedv (without ldanger of burning the metal) by means of so-called soft solder.

I show a yoke 32, carrying the mentioned screw'18, asv curved at'both its ends for Vattachmentto the short tubes 16, 16. This is favorable to an easy and reliable tuning adjustment by rotation of a nut-33, comp 1ising a long-threaded hollow sleeveto which a retaining collar 33 (preferably provided with an oppositely extending outer sleeveimay be secured; but, since substantially the entire weight of a trombone may be normally sustained by hollow braces such as I have described, in order to provide not only'for strength and beauty/ but for a maximum of f convenience, security and comfort during prolonged use, I consider it best to curve and forwardly incline only the lower end of the described novel brace B.

Altho Iy have herein' describeda single complete,embodiment ofA my invention, it should be understood not only that various Y features thereof might be independently employed but also that numerous modications thereof might be devised, by workers skilled in the arts to which this case relates, without involving the slightest departure from the spirit and scope of my invention, as the same .is indicated above and in the vfollowing claims. I

I claim as my invention:

3 1. In a musical instrument f the trombone type, an intermediate section comprising:

parallel tubular guides; thimbles thereon;

and interconnecting means therefor including a hand-adapted brace which joins the the other of said thimbles substantially atV `right angles.

2. In a musical instrument of the trombone type, an intermediate section comprising: parallel tubular guides: thimbles thereon; and interconnecting means therefor including a hand-adapted brace which joins the lower of said thimbles at an acute angle,- said brace being substantially straight at its upper end, and said end being 'joined to a relatively constricted portion of the upper thimble.

3. In a musical instrument of the trombone type, an intermediate section comprising: parallel tubular guides; thimbles thereon; and interconnecting .means thereforjincluding a hand-adapted brace which joins the lower of said thimbl-es at an acute angle,- said brace being curved only-at its lower end and there attached to a relatively enlarged portion of the lowerthimble.

4. In a musical instrument of the trombone type, an intermediate section comprising: parallel tubular guides; thimbles thereon; and interconnecting means therefor includingV a hand-adapted brace which joins the lower of said thimbles at an acute angle,- said brace being curved only at its lower end and there attached to a relatively enlarged portion of the lower` thimble by means comprising a curvedV plate which is substantially elliptical in outline.

' 5; For use in the interconnection of parallel tubular guides adapted to suport a trombone'slide: a brace'comprising a straight portion, adapted to be secured at right angles relatively to one of said guides,said brace comprisingl also a curved portion, adapted to be secured at an acute angle relative to the other of the said guides. Y

6. For use in the interconnection of parallel tubular guides adapted to support a trombone slide abrace comprising a straight portion, adapted to be secured at right angles relatively to one of'said guides,-said brace comprising also a curved portion, adapted to be secured at an acute angle relatively to the other of the said guides, and said curved portion being secured to a substantially elliptical attachment plate.

7. For use in the interconnectionof parallel tubular guides adapted to support a trombone slide: a braceV comprising a straight portion, adapted to be securedat right angles relatively to one ofsaid guides,-said brace comprising also a curved portion, adapted toA be secured atan acute angle relatively to the .other of the said guides, and said curved porattachment plate, and the opposite ends of said brace being respectively cut substantially to conform to a reduced portion of a thimble carried by an upper guide and to an enlarged portion of a similar thirnble carried by a lower guide.

8. In a musical instrument of the trombone type7 an intermediate section comprising: parallel tubular guides; thimbles thereon; and interconnecting means therefor in- Y cluding a hand-adapted brace which joins the lower of said thimbles at an acute angle, the

point of the angle being directed toward the mouth of the instrument. v

In Witness Whe1'eoi',Il1ave hereunto aiiixed my signature.

EAR-L WILLIAMS. 

